Derby Talk

Derby Talk is a forum for Pinewood Derby, Awana Grand Prix, Kub Kar Rally, Shape N Race Derby, Space Derby, Raingutter Regatta and other similar races where a child and an adult work together to create a race vehicle and a lot of fun and memories

So our pack (like most packs) struggles to fund all of our activities. We are based in a small town with many needy families and while most people can come up with the $25 a year for dues, things like camps, kits, etc all add up. We usually do at least one fundraiser in ADDITION to popcorn to help us cover expenses for events and offset some costs to our families. Rather than selling something door to door or hitting up co-workers I had an idea to do a community derby race.

Basic thought is that we will partner with our local chamber of commerce to sell sponsorships to local businesses. Each business who purchases a sponsorship will be paired with a cub scout and his adult. The scouts will work with the local business to design and build a car to run in a derby race over the summer. Our little town has a summer festival where they shut down our main street and have activities, booths, a carnival, etc. every year. We would set up the track on mainstreet in the middle of the festival and run races with all of the different cars. Top prizes would be awarded to both the scout and the business! Thank you plaques would go to all participants. We would have priority seating, "pit passes" for the business representatives, and large banners with logos for all of the race participants and sponsors. We may try to do some concessions, etc. as a part of the overall event as well.

Purposes are multiple but here's a few:
1) Our pack generally shuts down over the summer with only a camping trip and day camp, but no weekly meetings, etc. This would stretch our "scout season" at least into June.
2) It would give our pack a more known presence in our community, lots of people don't know about us, where we meet, etc.
3) It gives us an opportunity to volunteer to help out with all of the activities downtown.
4) It gives the businesses a novel and fun way to advertise, get their name out, and be a part of a fun community event.
5) It gives our kids the chance to build another derby car!
6) Serves as a fun recruitment tool to get other kids interested and involved in the pack.
7) Raises money for the pack that allows us to offer camperships, free kits, meals at events, etc. without asking our families to go out and sell something.
8. Could grow into a larger annual community event that would eventually allow us to offer all of our cubs the chance to do camp, trips, etc.
9) Would be an opportunity for us to partner up with our local scout troop and local venture crew to run the event giving older scouts past their "derby days" to come back and do it again.
10) Gives the chamber an opportunity to fundraise or donate to a charity group of their choice as a part of the event as well.

I'm hoping to tap into the experience pool here for concerns, cautions, things we should plan on, etc. I have spoken with our chamber president and he was very excited about the idea and jumped in with full support. What do you think an appropriate sponsorship should cost? What additional perks might we be able to make available to a business as an incentive to participate? What disaster should we count on occurring?